ROMELU LUKAKU had quite an afternoon at St Mary’s on Saturday, apart from scoring the only goal of the game against Southampton.

Manchester United star Romelu Lukaku scored the winner against Southampton

The Manchester United striker found himself serenaded by the travelling supporters with a song so explicit in its estimate of one aspect of his physical prowess that United issued a statement saying they “will take further action against individuals if this continues”.

And finally he was left behind by the team coach as, perhaps dehydrated by his energetic running on a hot day in Hampshire, he laboured in vain to provide a sample for the mandatory drugs test until his team-mates had no choice but to leave for the airport.

But the record books will only note Lukaku’s goal and the three points it won. As Ashley Young’s cross from the left bent in after 19 minutes, the big Belgian brushed aside Wesley Hoedt and easily won an aerial duel against Ryan Bertrand.

England goalkeeper Fraser Forster could not hold his header and he was first to the rebound ahead of three defenders.

It was Lukaku’s sixth Premier League goal of the season in as many games and manager Jose Mourinho, harshly sent to the stand late on for encroaching on the field of play, admitted the Belgium striker had exceeded his expectations, which is some statement to make after paying £75million for him.

“I knew he would always score goals,” Mourinho said. “I knew he would always score more goals for us than for Everton or West Bromwich Albion. That’s logic. But I was not expecting him to be, match after match, putting the ball in the net.”

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Maya Yoshida, the Saints defender, said that facing Lukaku is “really tough – like when we conceded, if they put the ball in the penalty box it is really difficult to stop him. We were pushing up and trying to take him away. One or two times we couldn’t do it and he scored.”

Manchester United star Lukaku was only denied a second by Forster’s outstretched leg, but even with his single strike his scoring form throws Southampton’s struggles in front of goal at St Mary’s into sharp relief.

Including the back end of last season, Saints have failed to score in nine of their past 10 home games in all competitions, the only exception being a 3-2 victory last month over a West Ham side with an exceptionally generous defence.

On Saturday, Shane Long was an isolated figure up front for most of the game and although more natural marksmen in Charlie Austin and Manolo Gabbiadini were sent on late, Mourinho countered by adding Chris Smalling to his back line and United held on.

“We have to be more clinical for sure,” Yoshida said. “But defensively we did much better than last season. So the way we are going is not wrong.”